'Matured' Ed Herman thankful for UFC 143 win, career resurgence

Despite falling short in the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter 3″ and then subsequently losing to Jason MacDonald, Herman (20-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) then rattled off three-straight wins, scoring three bonus checks in the process.

But Herman’s career then took a horrible detour, with “Short Fuse” going 1-3 and spending nearly two years out of the cage. Despite being one of the worst periods in Herman’s life, the 31-year-old admits it helped him value what he has today.

“I think I just matured as an athlete,” Herman said at Saturday night’s post-UFC 143 press conference. “You don’t realize what you have until you’ve almost lost it being out a couple of years with injuries.”

It was at UFC 102 in August 2009 when Herman’s left knee visibly buckled in the second round of his fight with Aaron Simpson. Following surgeries and rehab, he wouldn’t return until almost two years later, but he did it in style – earning a TKO over the always-dangerous Tim Credeur in just 48 seconds.

Hoping to make up for lost time, Herman bounced back just two months later with another first-round win, this time with a gruesome heel hook win over Kyle Noke.

At Saturday night’s UFC 143 event in Las Vegas, Herman kept his resurgence going with a second-round submission win over the previously-undefeated Clifford Starks. Following the result, Herman said he finally feels comfortable in the octagon.

Of course, the win didn’t necessarily come easy. Wrestling-stud Starks found a home for his right hand early and often and threatened to end the fight on the feet. During the fight, Herman’s left eye showed the quality of Starks’ work, and by the evening’s post-event presser, it was completely closed.

But Herman seized an opportunity early in the second round, nailing a beautiful trip takedown and moving immediately to mount. When Starks rolled, Herman worked in a rear-naked choke, earning an impressive come-from-behind win.

What comes next for Herman remains to be seen. Three-fight UFC win streaks don’t come easy, but his rough patch and time away from the sport leave Herman as a relative newcomer in the current state of the UFC’s middleweight division. But it’s no matter to Herman, who is simply happy to have his dark days behind.

“I’m just pumped to be here and fighting again and having a second chance in my career,” Herman said.

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